Dear Campus Community,

I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Wallace Cleaves as the Associate Dean and Director of the University Writing Program (UWP), effective July 1, 2023. Dr. Cleaves joined the University of California Riverside (UCR) in September 2000 as a Lecturer and Master Mentor. He has been an Associate Professor of Teaching and Associate Director of the UWP since 2018. His responsibilities have included First-Year Writing and the TA development program, particularly running the year-long series of teaching practicum courses for new instructors in the writing program. Dr. Cleaves has also served as the Director of the California Center for Native Nations since 2021. 

Dr. Cleaves holds a Ph.D. in medieval English literature from the University of California Riverside and taught courses in medieval, renaissance, and Native American literature at Pomona College, Cal State Fullerton, and at UCR. He received his Master’s degree in English Literature from Claremont Graduate University and a Bachelor’s degree from UC Santa Cruz.

Dr. Cleaves looks forward to working more closely with Undergraduate Education as it works to improve student access and learning outcomes for UCR’s diverse student population.

Dr. Cleaves succeeds Dr. John Briggs, who has served as the Director of UWP since 2007.

Sincerely,

Louie F. Rodriguez
Vice Provost & Dean, Division of Undergraduate Education
Professor of Education
UC Riverside